Name: how ionic strength changes activity coefficient
Uploaded: 2024-04-04T10:51:15.000Z
Duration: 1 min 17 s
Channel: JoVE

K12 Standards

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills

High School

Chemistry and Physics

IPC.8

IPC.8.B

Factors Affecting Activity Coefficient

The activity coefficient of an ion depends on the ionic strength of the solution.
As indicated by the Debye&#8211;H&#252;ckel theory, when the ionic strength approaches zero, the activity coefficient approaches unity.
As the ionic strength increases from 0 to 0.1 moles per liter, the activity coefficient value decreases.
However, with an increase in ionic strength above 0.1 moles per liter, the activity coefficient may increase.
The influence of ionic strength on the activity coefficient is associated with the charge of the ion, which also directly influences the activity coefficient.
With an increased charge on the ion, the decrease in the activity coefficient is even more pronounced.
For a particular ionic strength, ions with the same charges have approximately the same activity coefficients.
Another significant factor affecting the activity coefficient of an ion is the ion size parameter&#8212;the effective diameter of the hydrated ion.
Smaller ions with a high charge have larger effective diameters and deviate less from ideality than similarly charged ions with smaller diameters do.

factors affecting activity coefficient

The extended Debye-H&#252;ckel equation indicates that the activity coefficient of an ion in an aqueous solution at 25&#176;C depends on three partially interdependent properties: the ionic strength of the solution, the charge of the ion, and the ion size.&#160;
The activity coefficient value for an ion is close to one when the solution has almost zero ionic strength, i.e., when the solution shows close to ideal behavior. As the ionic strength of the solution increases from 0 to 0.1 mol/L, a decrease in the activity coefficient value is observed.
Solutions with an ionic strength above 0.1 mol/L are not well represented by the Debye-H&#252;ckel equation. In such solutions, the activity coefficient of an ion may exceed unity. The ionic strength of the solution is closely related to the charge of the ions present in the solution, thereby affecting their activity coefficient. For a particular ionic strength, ions with less charge have activity coefficient values higher than ions with a higher charge. In other words, the deviation from ideality is more pronounced for multiply charged ions than for singly charged ions.
Ions with similar charges often have similar activity coefficients. The dominant factor in the coefficient discrepancies here is the ion size parameter. Ion size describes the effective diameter of a hydrated ion, and even ions with similar charges tend to have different extents of hydration and therefore different ion sizes. Ions with similar charges can be hydrated to different extents, resulting in different effective diameters. These diameters are known as the ion size parameters. Ions with smaller ion size parameters deviate more from ideality, resulting in a lower activity coefficient than those with larger ion size parameters but the same charge.

The activity coefficient of an ion depends on the ionic strength of the solution.
As indicated by the Debye&#8211;H&#252;ckel theory, when the ionic ...

Education

JoVE Core

Analytical Chemistry

Unit 1

Chemical Equilibria

KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS

how ionic strength changes activity coefficient

The activity coefficient of an ion in water depends on ionic strength, ion charge, and ion size. The extended Debye-Hückel equation describes these effects for aqueous solutions at 25°C. These three factors are partly linked, so changes in one can influence the others.

When a solution has almost zero ionic strength, the activity coefficient is close to one. That means the solution behaves almost ideally. As ionic strength rises from 0 to 0.1 mol/L, the activity coefficient usually drops. Solutions with ionic strength above 0.1 mol/L are not well described by the Debye-Hückel equation, and the activity coefficient may even become greater than one.

Ion charge also affects the activity coefficient because ionic strength depends on the ions present in the solution. At the same ionic strength, ions with lower charge usually have higher activity coefficient values than ions with higher charge. This means multiply charged ions show a larger departure from ideal behavior than singly charged ions. Ions with similar charges often have similar activity coefficients.

Ion size is the main reason that activity coefficients can still differ for ions with the same charge. Ion size refers to the effective diameter of a hydrated ion, which depends on how much water surrounds it. Ions with similar charges can be hydrated to different extents, so they can have different ion size parameters. Smaller ion size parameters lead to greater deviation from ideal behavior and a lower activity coefficient than larger ion size parameters for ions with the same charge.

How Ionic Strength Changes Activity Coefficient

how-ionic-strength-changes-activity-coefficient

ionic strength: overview

Ionic Strength in Salt and Acid Solutions

Ionic strength describes the total electrolyte concentration in a solution. It is a quantitative measure of how many ions are present and how strongly they contribute to the solution. The concept was introduced in 1921 by Gilbert N. Lewis and Merle Randall while they were describing the activity coefficient of strong electrolytes. To calculate ionic strength, written as I or μ, both cations and anions are included. The concentration of each ion matters, but the charge number z matters even...

ionic strength: effects on chemical equilibria

ionic-strength-effects-on-chemical-equilibria

Salt Effect on Salt Solubility

Salt effect can change the solubility of a sparingly soluble salt in water. When an inert ionic compound is added, the dissolved salt may become more soluble. A common example is potassium nitrate added to a saturated calcium sulfate solution, which increases the amount of calcium sulfate that dissolves. Le Châtelier’s principle does not explain this shift well. Instead, the change is described by the effective concentration of ions in solution. Each ion is surrounded by an ionic atmosphere,...

thermodynamics: chemical potential and activity

thermodynamics-chemical-potential-and-activity

Chemical Potential in Solution Activity

Chemical potential and activity describe how a species behaves in a solution. Activity is the effective concentration of a species. It accounts for the electrolytes near that species and depends on the ionic strength of the solution. Activity is calculated as molar concentration multiplied by the activity coefficient. This makes it a more precise way to describe a species in solution than concentration alone. The thermodynamic equilibrium constant is also defined more accurately using activity...

thermodynamics: activity coefficient

Activity Coefficient in Ionic Solutions

Activity coefficient in ionic solutions describes how much a species behaves like its measured concentration. Activity is the effective concentration of a solute in solution. It equals the molar concentration multiplied by the activity coefficient, which is a unitless number. The activity coefficient depends on the total ionic strength of the solution. It shows how far a solution is from ideal behavior. When ionic strength is very low, the activity coefficient of an ionic species is close to...

chemical equilibria: redefining equilibrium constant

chemical-equilibria-redefining-equilibrium-constant

Salt Effect in Equilibrium Constant Calculations

Salt effect changes how a sparingly soluble salt dissolves when an inert salt is added. The size of this effect depends on the ionic strength of the solution. Ionic strength reflects how strongly the ions in the solution interact. In solution, the activity of a species is the product of its concentration and its activity coefficient. A redefined equilibrium constant must account for these activity effects when the ionic strength is moderately high. This form is also called the thermodynamic...

The activity coefficient of an ion in water depends on ionic strength, ion charge, and ion size. The extended Debye-Hückel equation describes these effects for aqueous solutions at 25°C. These three factors are partly linked, so changes in one can influence the others. When a solution has almost zero ionic strength, the activity coefficient is close to one. That means the solution behaves almost ideally. As ionic strength rises from 0 to 0.1 mol/L, the activity coefficient usually drops.

chemical equilibria: systematic approach to equilibrium calculations

chemical-equilibria-systematic-approach-to-equilibrium-calculations

Equilibrium Calculations with Mass and Charge

Chemical equilibrium calculations become easier when they are organized around mass balance and charge balance. This approach is useful for systems with multiple equilibria, where several reactions must be considered together. It is especially helpful when finding the solubility of a sparingly soluble salt in water with a common ion present. The first step is to identify every chemical reaction in the system. Next, write the equilibrium constant expression for each reaction. These expressions...

acid&#8211;base equilibria: activity-based definition of ph

acidbase-equilibria-activity-based-definition-of-ph

How Ionic Strength Changes pH

pH depends on hydrogen ion activity, not just hydrogen ion concentration. In an ideal solution, pH is the negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration. In a non-ideal solution, a more accurate pH uses hydrogen ion activity, which combines concentration with an activity coefficient. This difference matters most in very low ionic strength solutions, such as pure water. At first, the hydrogen ion activity coefficient is close to one. When an electrolyte that does not donate or accept a...

ladder diagrams: acid&#8211;base equilibria

Using Ladder Diagrams to Predict pH

Ladder diagrams help show how acid-base equilibria change with pH. They are graphical tools that make the chemistry of a system easier to read during analysis. In a ladder diagram, the vertical axis shows pH. Horizontal bars, or steps, place the pKa values in the system.

ladder diagrams: redox equilibria

Redox Potential Shifts in Ladder Diagrams

Ladder diagrams show redox equilibrium using electrochemical potential, E, as the vertical scale. They help students see how changes in concentration affect which species is most stable. The areas of predominance are set with the Nernst equation. A useful example is the Fe3+/Fe2+ half-reaction, which has a standard-state potential of +0.771 V. At potentials more positive than +0.771 V, Fe3+ predominates. At potentials more negative than +0.771 V, Fe2+ predominates. Ladder diagrams also show...

ladder diagrams: complexation equilibria

Reading Metal-Ligand Ladder Diagrams

Ladder diagrams help show equilibria in metal-ligand complexes. In these diagrams, the vertical scale shows pL, or the concentration of free ligand that has not reacted. The horizontal lines mark the log of formation constants and show which species is dominant in each region. For the Cd and ammonia system, the formation constant K1 for Cd(NH3)2+ is 3.55 × 10^2. Its log value is 2.55, so pNH3 = 2.55 is the dividing line between Cd2+ and Cd(NH3)2+ dominance. Above 2.55, Cd2+ is the predominant...

solubility equilibria: overview

How Solubility Reaches Equilibrium

Solubility equilibrium describes what happens when a sparingly soluble salt dissolves in water and then reaches a balance with the solid left over. In a saturated solution, dissolved ions and the undissolved solid are in dynamic equilibrium. The process is reversible, so this topic is also called precipitation equilibrium. This balance matters in real life. Sugar-rich foods can produce organic acids that dissolve hydroxyapatite, the mineral in tooth enamel, which can lead to tooth decay. A...

solubility equilibria: ionic product of water

solubility-equilibria-ionic-product-of-water

Water Ionization and Kw in Equilibrium

Water ionization and the ionic product of water describe how pure water reaches equilibrium. Water is a weak electrolyte, so only a small amount breaks into hydrogen ions and hydroxide ions. At a fixed temperature, the amount of undissociated water stays almost constant. Because of this, the ionic product of water is the product of the hydrogen ion concentration and the hydroxide ion concentration. It is written as K w . The square root of K w gives the concentration of each ion in pure water.

complexation equilibria: overview

Stepwise Metal-Ligand Complexation

Stepwise metal-ligand complexation forms coordination compounds when metal ions and ligands share electrons through dative, or coordinate covalent, bonds. In these reactions, the metal ion binds to one or more ligands until its coordination number is reached. This number tells how many bonds form between the metal ion and the ligands. In aqueous solution, many metal ions are already surrounded by water molecules. These species are called aqua complexes. Complexation reactions are described by...

complexation equilibria: the chelate effect

complexation-equilibria-the-chelate-effect

Chelating Ligands and Metal Complex Stability

Metal complexes form when metal atoms or cations interact with ligands in a complexation reaction. These donor-acceptor adducts are central to understanding how metal ions bind in chemistry. Ligands can bind in different ways. A monodentate ligand uses one donor site. A bidentate ligand uses two donor sites, and a polydentate ligand uses more than two. Ethylene diamine is a bidentate ligand that binds through two nitrogen donor atoms and forms a five-membered ring. Polydentate ligands can...

complexation equilibria: factors influencing stability of complexes

complexation-equilibria-factors-influencing-stability-of-complexes

Complex Ions: Metal and Ligand Stability

Complex ions form when a metal cation accepts electron pairs from ligands, which are the electron pair donors. The stability of these metal complexes depends mainly on the metal ion and on the ligands attached to it. The metal ion’s size and charge play a major role in stability. As the size of the metal ion increases, complex stability usually decreases when the valency of the metal ion and the ligands stays the same. As the charge on the metal ion increases, complex stability increases. <br...

redox equilibria: overview

Redox Electron Transfer and Half-Reactions

Redox reactions involve the transfer of electrons from one species to another. In this type of reaction, electrons are not shared between atoms. They move from the species that loses them to the species that gains them. The species that loses electrons is the reducing agent, also called the reductant. It is oxidized during the reaction. The species that gains electrons is the oxidizing agent, or oxidant, and it is reduced. Redox reactions are often written as two half-reactions. One...

titrimetric methods: types and commonly used strategies

titrimetric-methods-types-and-commonly-used-strategies

Direct, Back, and Displacement Titrations

Titrimetric methods use a standard solution to measure the amount of an analyte in chemistry. The main categories are volumetric, gravimetric, and coulometric methods. Each one reaches the endpoint in a different way. In volumetric titrations, the key measurement is the volume of a titrant with a known concentration. The titrant is added until it reacts completely with the analyte. In gravimetric titrations, the standard solution forms an insoluble precipitate with the analyte. That solid is...

classification of titrimetric analysis based on reaction types

classification-of-titrimetric-analysis-based-on-reaction-types

Four Reaction Types in Titrimetric Analysis

Titrimetric analysis measures solution volume and is also called volumetric analysis. A standard solution with a known concentration is placed in the burette and is called the titrant. The solution with an unknown concentration in the flask is the analyte, or titrand. Titrimetric analysis is grouped into four types based on the reaction between the titrant and the analyte. Acid-base titrations involve a neutralization reaction between an acid and a base. This reaction forms water molecules.

key terms and concepts

Learn how ionic strength, ion charge, and ion size affect activity coefficients in aqueous solutions using the extended Debye-Hückel equation.

How Ionic Strength Changes Activity Coefficient | JoVE K12

analytical chemistry

JoVE Core Analytical Chemistry simplifies complex chemical principles by breaking them down into clear, engaging animations, making topics from SI Units to NMR spectroscopy more accessible and straightforward. Additionally, the scientist-in-action videos highlight the application of these concepts in real-world research conducted in laboratories globally.

Chemical Reactions

A balanced chemical equation provides the information of chemical formulas of the reactants and products involved in the chemical change. A ...

Enthalpy and Heat of Reaction

Combustion, commonly known as burning, is a reaction in which a substance reacts with an oxidizing agent, which in most cases is molecular oxygen, to ...

Oxidation-Reduction Reactions

Oxidation&ndash;Reduction Reactions

Earth&rsquo;s atmosphere contains about 20% molecular oxygen, O2, a chemically reactive gas that plays an essential ...

Oxidation Numbers

In redox reactions, the transfer of electrons occurs between reacting species. Electron transfer is described by a hypothetical number called the ...

Acids, Bases and Neutralization Reactions

An acid-base reaction is one in which a hydrogen ion, H+, is transferred from one chemical species to another. Such reactions are of central importance to ...

combustion-energy-a-measure-of-stability-in-alkanes-and-cycloalkanes

Combustion Energy: A Measure of Stability in Alkanes and Cycloalkanes

The low reactivity in alkanes can be attributed to the non-polar nature of C&#8211;C and C&#8211;H &#963; bonds. Alkanes, therefore, were&#160; initially ...

Investigate how changes in properties are indicative of chemical reactions such as hydrochloric acid with a metal, oxidation of metal, combustion, and neutralizing an acid with a base.

IPC.8.A

Balancing Redox Equations

Electrochemistry is the science involved in the interconversion of electrical and chemical reactions. Such reactions are called reduction-oxidation, or ...

Chemical Equilibria: Redefining Equilibrium Constant

Recall that the solubility of a sparingly soluble salt increases with the addition of an inert salt in a phenomenon known as the salt effect.
The extent ...

Thermochemical Equations

For a chemical reaction (the system) carried out at constant pressure &ndash; with the only work done caused by expansion or contraction &ndash; the ...

Develop and use models to balance chemical equations and support the claim that atoms, and therefore mass, are conserved during a chemical reaction.

Nuclear Fission

Many heavier elements with smaller binding energies per nucleon can decompose into more stable elements that have intermediate mass numbers and larger ...

Nuclear Power

Controlled nuclear fission reactions are used to generate electricity. Any nuclear reactor that produces power via the fission of uranium or plutonium by ...

Nuclear Fusion

The process of converting very light nuclei into heavier nuclei is also accompanied by the conversion of mass into large amounts of energy, a process ...

Nuclear Transmutation

Nuclear transmutation is the conversion of one nuclide into another. It can occur by the radioactive decay of a nucleus, or the reaction of a nucleus with ...

Biological Effects of Radiation

All radioactive nuclides emit high-energy particles or electromagnetic waves. When this radiation encounters living cells, it can cause heating, break ...

Research and communicate the uses, advantages, and disadvantages of nuclear reactions in current technologies.

IPC.8.C

What is Climate?

Climate refers to the prevailing weather conditions in a specific area over an extended period. As the saying goes, &#8220;Climate is what you expect. ...

Global Climate Change

Throughout its ~4.5 billion year history, the Earth has experienced periods of warming and cooling. However, the current drastic increase in global ...

Climate Change

The certainty of climate change remains a public controversy despite the consensus among approximately 97% of active climate researchers, who not only ...

Sustainable Development

As the human population continues to grow and use resources, we must be mindful of our planet&rsquo;s natural limits. Sustainable development provides a ...

Construct and communicate an evidence-based explanation of the environmental impact of the end-products of chemical reactions such as those that may result in degradation of water, soil, air quality, and global climate change.

IPC.8.D

Science concepts. The student knows that changes in matter affect everyday life. The student is expected to:

How Ionic Strength Changes Activity Coefficient

Description

Transcript

Tags

More videos by Standards